BCLA Summer Internship Spotlight: Jimena Villasenor ’27 and Isabella Rizo-Patron ’27 Gain Hands-On Legal Experience at the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic

Jimena Villasenor '27 and Isabella Rizo-Patron '27 are learning that the legal field is about real people and experiences. This summer, the two students are interning at the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic (LIJC) at Loyola Law School, where they work alongside attorneys to provide legal support to immigrants while gaining insight into the rapidly changing landscape of immigration law and its very real effects on people's lives.

For Rizo-Patron, an Ohio native, a YouTube video first sparked her interest in immigration law. While she was in high school, she watched a comedy bit about the asylum process, highlighting the irony of a process designed to protect people in urgent situations, yet one that often takes years. Curious, she began researching the issue on her own. When she later moved to Los Angeles to attend LMU, her interest grew.

"I remember watching that, and then doing my own research, and when I got to L.A. I realized how great the need is," Rizo-Patron said.

Villasenor's interest in immigration law is rooted in her own upbringing. A San Diego native and the daughter of immigrant parents, she grew up seeing firsthand how access to resources, legal support, and opportunity often depends on a family's circumstances, leaving many marginalized communities without the help they need.

"I just want to be able to help people from the inside," she said.

Villasenor and Rizo-Patron, who are both political science majors with minors in international relations, are two of 11 students who are interning this summer in one of Loyola Law School's legal clinics as part of the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts' paid summer internship program. Through this program, launched just this year, more than 70 liberal arts students are working in paid roles with news outlets, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies, as well as in areas across LMU, including Marketing and Communications, the Dean's Office, research centers, and Loyola Law School.

Villasenor and Rizo-Patron work in the clinic four days a week from 9 am - 5 pm. Their responsibilities include working on clients' case files, familiarizing themselves and their clients with various legal forms, visiting the nearby Dolores Mission to offer free consultations, attending asylum interviews, and preparing country conditions packets.

"One thing that's really pushed me out of my comfort zone is talking with clients in Spanish. I grew up speaking Spanish, but legal terminology is a whole different thing. Sometimes we'd be looking through a client's file and realize we needed more information, and they'd just say, 'Give them a call and ask.' It sounds simple, but making those calls and asking the right questions in a legal setting definitely took some confidence," said Rizo-Patron.

Beyond gaining professional experience, Villasenor and Rizo-Patron have been inspired by the clinic's supportive culture and the dedication of its attorneys. The lawyers have not only invested time in mentoring them and sharing insight into their careers, but also in going the extra mile to ensure clients are well cared for. "This office is amazing. The people here are so personable. When you're working in an immigration nonprofit clinic, you're going to be working with good people. They make us feel really comfortable," said Villasenor. "There's a beauty in the way that this place functions, and how it functions so well," added Rizo-Patron. "There's such a great team within it, and that community grants and donors are funding it, it's like a well-oiled machine that people can really trust within the community."

In just 10 weeks, both students have gained an impressive amount of knowledge and hands-on experience. Rizo-Patron has become adept at identifying the immigration forms clients need based on their unique circumstances and goals.

"There are so many forms, and just as I'm about to leave, I've memorized them. My brain works differently now," said Rizo-Patron. "Clients will come in and tell me their life story, and I can translate that into the forms we need to print and complete."

Along the way, she also picked up some practical office skills.

"It's embarrassing to admit, but I didn't know how to scan something before," she said with a laugh. "I feel like such a Gen Z screenager."

Villasenor, meanwhile, has become highly skilled at preparing packets for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The process requires gathering information about a client's situation, researching conditions in their home country, and compiling supporting documentation. These country conditions packets, which can include numerous news articles, reports, and other evidence, help provide context for immigration officers reviewing asylum applications and demonstrate why an individual may face danger if forced to return to their country.

Villasenor and Rizo-Patron are grateful to the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts (BCLA) Summer Internship Program and Loyola Law School for making their experiences at the law clinic possible. The stipends provided through the BCLA program played a particularly important role in allowing them to dedicate their time fully to the internship.

"As college students, it's hard to balance a job, school, and a full-time internship," said Villasenor. "The stipend has helped me set myself up for the academic year, so I can use those funds while I'm in school. I think it's really important that BCLA is funding this internship. It also motivates students to give their best because we're being invested in, and we want to show that through the quality of our work."